No. 3 Illinois beats No. 2 Houston at its own game, claims spot in Elite 8 vs. Iowa
Everything appeared to line up for Kelvin Sampson Houston. But Illinois beat Houston at its own game with a smothering defensive effort to advance to the Elite 8.
Everything appeared to line up for Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars. No. 1 seed Florida had been knocked out of the South bracket.
The No. 2 Cougars entered the Sweet 16 playing a South regional hosted just miles from Houston’s campus at the Toyota Center. And they opened Thursday’s Sweet 16 game playing their own brand of basketball in a grind of a first half against No.
3 Illinois. But Illinois beat Houston at its own game. Illinois took a 24-22 lead out of halftime and pulled away for a 65-55 win to advance to the Elite Eight .
Illinois will play in Saturday’s South regional final against 9 Iowa. Houston’s season, meanwhile, ends short of the Final Four as Sampson and the Cougars remain in search of their elusive first national title. Normally explosive Illinois wins ugly A team known for its explosive offense more than lockdown defense, Illinois limited Houston to four points in the first 8:40 of the second half.